Botswana Safari & Victoria Falls Adventure

Lioness on the prowl in the Linyati Conservation Area.

In late April, Margaret and I—along with our good friends Don and Cindy from Michigan—began a long-awaited journey to southern Africa. We flew United from Newark to Johannesburg, crossing the Atlantic almost the entire way before touching down after 14½ hours. After a night at the City Lodge inside O.R. Tambo Airport, we boarded a midday AirLink flight to Maun, Botswana—the gateway to the Okavango Delta.

Botswana is a country of striking contrasts. Though roughly the size of France, it has only 2.6 million people, giving it one of the lowest population densities in the world. From the Kalahari Desert to the Delta and north to Chobe National Park, its ecosystems support extraordinary wildlife.

Khwai River & Saguni Safari Lodge

From Maun, we boarded a 12-seat Mack Air Cessna for the short flight to the Khwai River airstrip on the fringes of the Okavango. Flying with Mack Air feels like entering another world—pilots in khaki shorts load bags, chat with guests, and encourage cockpit photos. Landing strips are first circled to check for wildlife.

At the river, we transferred to Saguni Safari Lodge for a two-night stay in tented rooms set above the water. Around the communal fire we met travelers from Aspen, Puerto Rico, and Shanghai.

Mack Air cockpit view — View from the Mack Air cockpit enroute to northern Botswana.

Khwai Highlights

Game drives with sightings of two male lions, three lionesses, and six playful cubs
Nighttime soundscape of hippos grazing by the river, distant lion calls, and hyena cackles
A peaceful mokoro (dugout canoe) ride, gliding past elephants, crocodiles, and hippos

Lion cub in the Khwai River area — Lion cub playing in the Khwai River area of the Okavango Delta.

Hippo emerging from the river — A watchful hippo emerging from the river in the Okavango Delta.

Linyanti Safari & Close Encounters

After Khwai, we flew north with Mack Air to the Linyanti Conservation Area, bordering Chobe National Park. There we met our guides, Allen and Witness—both superb trackers with deep knowledge of the bush. Witness once guided Prince Harry and Meghan as well as the Bush family; his experience showed every day.

We stayed three nights at Linyanti Expeditions, a remote six-tent camp only three miles from the Namibian border. Our days began with a 5:00 a.m. wake-up call, campfire breakfast, then a morning game drive, with a second drive in the late afternoon.

Stories from the Bush

Allen grew up in a remote northern village of 2,000 people, raised by his grandmother while his mother cooked at a safari camp. English is the national language, but most residents also speak Setswana and numerous local dialects. His long-term dream is to grow his herd of six cattle so he can pay a traditional dowry and host a village wedding feast with his long-time girl friend.

Our engaging guide Allen from northern Botswana — Our engaging guide Allen showing us hyena scat.

Linyanti Highlights

Watching a lioness call to her sister, who emerged moments later with seven cubs—including three adopted after their mother was killed by a buffalo
Encountering a pack of 18 African wild dogs, one of the world’s rarest predators
Hearing an elephant calmly stripping branches 10 yards from our tent
Sleeping under brilliant Southern Hemisphere stars in a mesh tent
Meeting four fully camouflaged anti-poaching rangers on patrol, two resting in sleeping bags on the truck bed

African wild dog in Linyanti — Rare African wild dog in the Linyanti Conservation Area.

Lioness emerging from the bush with her cubs.

Kasane & Victoria Falls

Our final Mack Air hop took us to Kasane, near the intersection of Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. We spent our last three nights exploring Chobe National Park and Victoria Falls.

Kasane & Victoria Falls Highlights

A day trip into northern Chobe with a boat ride on the Chobe River and an afternoon game drive
Viewing Victoria Falls from both the Zimbabwe and Zambia sides during near-peak flow—getting drenched in the spray
A delicious farewell dinner at Dusty Road Restaurant, featuring Zimbabwean dishes including Zambezi River bream

Victoria Falls during peak flow — Victoria Falls, known in Setswana as “the Smoke that Thunders”, viewed from the Zimbabwe side.

A Bonus Stop in Frankfurt

On our return, Margaret and I had an 8-hour layover in Frankfurt. We took the train downtown to visit the historic Römerberg Square and St. Bartholomew’s Church, whose origins date back to 680 A.D. It was an unexpected and memorable finale to an incredible adventure.